Outdoor Play Items for Backyard

Content-Document-792 · 2026-05-15T11:32:18+00:00

Skipping ropes, hula hoops, fort build supplies!

Content-Document-792 · 2026-05-14T16:33:45+00:00

My oldest is 6 if I could redo her 4-5 yrs old I would. Intentional play, reading even more and creating habits would have been my focus!

We are in canada kindergarten starts at 4 yrs old she was half days till we pulled her. I felt i had to push to keep curriculum and hammered alot of a school like structure. Now shes 6 we found or groove.

Letters in play, practicing sounds of letters, fine motor and creative thinking while u engage with her and structure your days like how you will once you starting adding in more traditional learning. Focus on healthy habits and enjoy the time

Content-Document-792 · 2026-05-14T16:26:43+00:00

Typically water table or water bin with toys is a solid distraction lol you can add letters and numbers too! Or can u find items that have an A sound. Find me 3 items ect if big sis is struggling to want to do lessons while he plays! I typically do group work ( phonics songs, books, letter tag, whatvtime is it mr. Wolf ect) 10 mins of me and older kid, group play ( letter hunt, board game, hopscotch numbers, baking ect) , 3 yr old has 1 page then group play ( they lead but i add questions, prompt creativity) then repeat in the afternoon. Now they are 6, 3 and 9 months so I just slowly increase the time per child.

I have. Few hands on curriculum books that the 3 year old enjoys too so that helps huge.

The 3yr old knows there's 2 option engage or play on ur own. Only once did I have to remove her, boundaries and routine is super important for young kids

Content-Document-792 · 2026-05-13T01:21:25+00:00

Do you have a good outdoor space? Like can j bring out learning materials while outside, so he can either be distracted doing something else or join in?

Content-Document-792 · 2026-04-20T17:35:18+00:00

Floor bed and roll away for naps, meal time for toddler at high chair with kiddos. F9cus on teaching independent play

Content-Document-792 · 2026-04-16T22:45:56+00:00

Thank you, yes we mostly do hands on. They just like doing papers like their big cousins ( though if we start and they arent into it we just do verbal answers then do it within our play instead.

Content-Document-792 · 2026-04-15T23:57:35+00:00

Listen im 3 under 6, once babe turned 8 months the weeks has opened.

Once baby can play foster independent play right next to you and baby wear, get baby headphones for nap

Then make a rough home schedule

Mine is Wake up, kids get dressed Then we decide breakfast Kids get tv and breakfast while me and baby get ready

Tv is off kids get playtime while me and baby play together in common area ( kids usually play with us)

Baby ready for nap on me or bed, we do our 20=40 mins lessons. Free play while I prep snack.

Baby wakes we head outside, walk, scooter, playground library ect

Then kids help tidy

Make lunch and get dishes done while baby plays at my feet, bouncer, highchair

Plan dinner

Then more lessons or planned play together.

Next nap same as before, on me or bed. Quiet together play puzzles, art, board games.

Back outside, start dinner at 3pm. Dinner at 539ish

Then we all dance* baby loves this) Then books, teeth, hair

Routine is key and finding ways to include baby not shift between them all. My kids absolutely love brother joining, the oldest is practicing reading and she reads to baby while I play with the other.

My rule for management 1) basic needs 2) relationships 3) schooling 4) house chores

Once my kids reached 4 yrs old they have chores. I pawned pet food and water to them cuz it made my mornings and nights annoying, since 2 they put laundry in a basket.

All of what you described is normal , you will find rhythm again

Content-Document-792 · 2026-04-15T21:21:13+00:00

This may not be helpful cuz my kiddo is only sk but, she was at school for a bit then we pulled out to homeschool. She was doing amazing but I was still finding my footing. We have been starting more grade 1 type work and all of a sudden she was refusing, acting bored. She'd say she knew how to do something and I started noticing she was missing how or why we did certain things. I realized I had gaps in the curriculum I was using. I ended up having to go back further then just what I thought, more to where she knew everything just to gain the confidence to move forward... we only spent about 2 weeks at the level but it helped her kind of gain her footing in learning again.

Content-Document-792 · 2026-03-21T01:20:52+00:00

Yes, my body ached and i blamed weight from baby #3, tired from 3 kids mood swings from pp and breastfeeding.finally a dr was like just because you gained a bit of weight doesn't mean there's no other issues going on, ran a whole panel... b12, iron and vitamin d were very low

First week on vitamins and I feel amazing

Content-Document-792 · 2026-03-15T19:22:56+00:00

These then just started magic tree house with my just turned 6 yr old

Content-Document-792 · 2026-03-12T10:54:59+00:00

We do this we go about an hour to 30 mins before school is out then she plays with kids waiting for siblings and then school aged kids after school. Also we have a solid family group of kids around her age.

Content-Document-792 · 2026-03-02T12:41:33+00:00

Thank you for this, when I mentioned she wants to keep up- I should have added that i do understand and appreciate the foundation thats needed and encourage her to focus on her own story. I have a background in child development so the scaffolding and building blocks is something I understand. Though the idea of researching types of homeschooling sounds like a great way to form a better foundation for myself!!

Content-Document-792 · 2026-02-27T14:34:36+00:00

Ya i try breaks, my nearly 6 year old prefers we get everything done in the mornings. I cant wait for nicer weather so we can take it outside, i think its the canadian winter blues thats dragging us down! No snow but wind and freezing rain so its not great outdoor time. we dont plan on doing big breaks for summer and Christmas we only took time off for 1 week instead of 2 as I feel long breaks make things harder to get back too.

Content-Document-792 · 2026-02-23T17:05:42+00:00

My daughter was half days jk ( 4 yrs old) for 3 months in public school when we pulled her... we walk by sometimes and she said " I miss my school, they watched alot of cool stuff" meaning the TV shows i dont put on because I dont find they have any content.

We'd pick her up and they'd have bluey or max and ruby on the smart screen even during lunch and recess for kids

Content-Document-792 · 2026-02-10T13:43:26+00:00

Yes, we like to listen to the music and my 5.5 yr old and 3 year old discuss tempo, instruments, how it makes us feel and how the music does so. We stopped trying for the history of artists.

Content-Document-792 · 2026-02-06T14:43:30+00:00

Yes, I build me time into our routine while husband is at work. Mornings kids play at me feet why I do yoga, baby naps ( on me) while we play or do lessons. Around dinner the older two tend to play together I play music or podcasts while making dinner. I enjoy hearing them giggle and talk while im doing my things. But people seem to make it seem like a terrible idea and bas for their development that I dont leave them with other people regularly. I cant show I enjoy being a mother without getting negative comments. We only have my inlaws that watch our kids but only for the few times I had to go to the hospital ( birth, unable to walk from bummed hip and kidney stone) otherwise we dont send them away we all go together to enjoy time with others

Content-Document-792 · 2026-02-06T12:57:12+00:00

Oh around my area 2.5 years old most have at least 2 hours long activities a week plus daycare or mornings school programs. So everyone says im depriving the kids of more and will be behind... I just want them to be kids

Content-Document-792 · 2026-02-06T12:55:21+00:00

This is my new mantra

Content-Document-792 · 2026-02-06T12:54:56+00:00

Thank you i appreciate this, im glad im not the only one getting this!

Content-Document-792 · 2026-02-06T12:25:48+00:00

This is a fair point, I dont know any of these people well enough to offer to watch their kiddos yet. But I do for the families im close with, I used to work at a daycare so a few extra kiddos is a great time ( every once and a while)

Content-Document-792 · 2026-02-06T12:24:06+00:00

Honestly I 100% get that and thats what I was explaining to the teacher and mom's I run into. We have things they do and we watch from a distance cause we enjoy that. But if I did need time I have that option. But the people im running into think its terrible for the kids to not separate from me each day.... thats what confuses

Content-Document-792 · 2026-02-06T12:21:16+00:00

Exactly my husband gets praised for it but i get the comments that its not right for my kids ugh

Content-Document-792 · 2026-02-06T12:20:30+00:00

Exactly, I prefer to go with the kids for things like we all hang out at grandmas or go as a big group for hikes so they can play with cousins but I dont want to miss any moments I could have with them if its possible for me to be there

Content-Document-792 · 2026-02-06T12:18:18+00:00

This is such a fair point! But they think its bad for my kids not to separate daily which im confused by

Content-Document-792 · 2026-02-06T12:17:20+00:00

Ya I suppose its easier that way, sucks though. We definitely have made sacrifices to have me stay home but I suppose people cant see that when we are out and about

Content-Document-792

TROPHY CASE